catch
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,188 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 15,383 times across 175,160 chapters — 0.007% of every word in the library.
What it means
verb
- discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state She caught her son eating candyShe was caught shoplifting
- perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily also: pick up I caught the aroma of coffeeHe caught the allusion in her glance
- reach with a blow or hit in a particular spot also: get the rock caught her in the back of the headThe blow got him in the back
- take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of also: grab, take hold of Catch the ball!Grab the elevator door!
- succeed in catching or seizing, especially after a chase also: get, capture We finally got the suspectDid you catch the thief?
- to hook or entangle also: hitch One foot caught in the stirrup
catch in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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You insisted you were going to catch your train.
The Abandoned Room · Wadsworth Camp · Chapter 1
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He had to stoop his head to catch her stifled whisper: “Where’d I go, if I did?”
Ethan Frome · Edith Wharton · Chapter 1
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Aye, you may roar!--but if I sit here till Aurora appears in the east, you won't catch me winking.
Sketches by Seymour — Volume 04 · Robert Seymour · Chapter 1
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Those waves of forests primeval were his, and the green spray of them was tossed into cloudland to catch the blessed rain.
The Heart of the Hills · John, Jr. Fox · Chapter 1
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Wherefore his pursuers found it very difficult to catch him; and we will hope that they did not catch him at all.
The Water-Babies · Charles Kingsley · Chapter 1